He said the Doe Fund has helped thousands of homeless and people with criminal records obtain jobs, and “full employment” would be his top priority as mayor.

Giuliani is backing his former deputy during his mayoralty, Joe Lhota, to be the GOP standard bearer. “I have great respect for Mayor Rudy,” McDonald said when asked the ex-mayor’s backing support for Lhota.

McDonald also said he wants to continue the progress under Mayor Bloomberg, who was elected to three terms on the Republican and Independence Party lines. “Mike Bloomberg is a great man and a great mayor. That’s a rare combination,” he said.

He also took at a shot at the Democratic candidates for mayor.

“This is the most important election in twenty years. There are those who want to harken back to the divisive policies of the past and there are those who would turn our city over to the unions and special interests. New Yorkers deserve new common sense solutions,” he said.